Emily Alonzo Sterling Silver Butterfly Design Stamp Bolo Tie

$ 150.00

Handcrafted by skilled Navajo silversmith Emily Alonzo, this bolo tie is a traditionally crafted style for everyday wear. An iconic sterling silver butterfly concho design, a classic stamped silhouette in Native American jewelry. Due to the process of stamp work, each piece will have slight variations in the stamped details. Sterling silver end caps add sophistication to the braided black leather. A lightweight piece that draws upon Native American silversmithing traditions, this classic bolo tie will become a staple of your wardrobe.

Bolo tie handcrafted by Emily Alonzo (Navajo)

Sterling silver

Stamp

Bolo tie measures 3” high x 2” wide on 37” black leather braided cord

Comes with a signed Certificate of Authenticity

Handcrafted works of Native American art require special care. For more information about proper care and cleaning, please read our Care Guide.

Emily Alonzo is a renowned Navajo silversmith. She is known for handcrafting exquisitely detailed, lightweight silver pieces in the classic Navajo style. Many of her works incorporate Navajo jewelry elements and stamping styles that were common in the early 20th century.

The Southwest is known for the beauty and drama of its landscapes, from red rock canyons and rolling deserts, to expansive blue skies and shimmering sunsets. The Native Americans who have lived here for thousands of years have a deep connection to and respect for this natural world, and their reverence for nature deeply influences their art. Some of the most common nature-inspired designs and symbols are water, rain, clouds, corn, mountains and animals. For Native Americans, nature is a gift from the Creator and in their unique, handcrafted works of art they celebrate this incredible gift.

Jewelry has been made and worn in the Southwest since prehistoric times. For thousands of years Native Southwestern people have made mosaic inlay and beads of turquoise, shell, bone or stone. Metal arrived with the Spanish. Native Americans acquired metal ornaments through trade, but it was not until the middle of the 19th century that Navajo and Zuni artisans learned the craft from Mexican blacksmiths and silversmiths. Their early silver jewelry creations were plain, with simple engraved, stamped or punched designs. Turquoise was first used in silver around 1880. By the turn of the century, silversmithing was widespread across the Southwest, and Native artists were making more sophisticated pieces like concho belts and squash blossom and naja necklaces. The Navajo soon became known for their use of silver, emphasizing silver-heavy designs with only a few gemstones, while the Zuni focused on stone work, featuring finely cut clusters of gems in complex patterns. The Hopi and Pueblo tribes also developed distinctive jewelry styles in the early 1900s. Today, silver jewelry is an iconic image of the Southwest.

At Shumakolowa Native Arts, we guarantee that your purchase is an original and authentic work handcrafted by Native American artists as defined by the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990. Our team of experts carefully inspects every product to guarantee it is handcrafted using traditional, sustainable processes and natural materials of only the highest quality. We work directly with artists or partner with trusted wholesalers who can provide documentation that their artists and artisans are of Native American heritage. We record the place and date of each purchase and pride ourselves in paying a fair price that allows artists to make a living practicing their craft. Every work of handcrafted art comes with a Certificate of Authenticity signed by an artist or buyer. At a time when many commercially-made products are being sold as handcrafted Native American art, we stand behind the authenticity of every unique piece of fine art we offer. For more than 35 years, we have developed lasting relationships with artists, dealers and collectors, and we take pride in being a trusted destination for fine Native American art.